The present invention relates to the field of security and privacy on the Internet, and more particularly, to a method for generating secure symmetric encryption/decryption. The present invention encrypts the electronic document/message with a unique key in combination with a recipient""s password. The electronic document/message is likewise decrypted using the unique key, which is store on the recipient""s computer device, in combination with the recipient""s password.
Recently, the technological advances associated with the electronic data exchange, Internet, World Wide Web (WWW), and electronic commerce are providing many people an alternative to the traditional method of communicating and conducting business. For example, many people are now using the Internet as a preferred method for sending mail, documents and messages, purchasing goods and services, trading stocks, applying for loans and credit cards, and the like. As a result, sensitive and private information is constantly being transmitted over the Internet in exorbitant numbers.
As is well known, most data and information transmitted over the Internet are unsecured. Thus, in most instances, access to sensitive and private information on the Internet can only be accessed when the user provides the appropriate user identification (id) number and/or the corresponding personal id number (PIN) or password. This is also true when the user first logs on to his/her personal computer, portable digital assistant (PDA), and the like in order to access/run files, documents, programs, applications, etc.
As technology becomes more advanced and sophisticated, unauthorized people or xe2x80x9chackersxe2x80x9d are developing techniques for accessing sensitive and private information that should be secure and private. Also, as more people use the Internet for various reasons, more and more sensitive and private information is transmitted over the Internet.
Fortunately, software engineers have developed ways to transmit sensitive and private information over the Internet in a secure manner. The sender encrypts the information, that is, alters the information so that it will look like meaningless garble of data to anyone other than the intended recipient. This information is then decrypted by the recipient so that the information is turned back into its original form. The general concept behind the traditional encryption-decryption method is that when a sender encrypts the message with a key, then only someone else with a matching key will be able to decrypt the message. Thus, it is important to use keys that provide the ability to have greater security. Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a method for providing a more advanced and sophisticated manner of preventing hackers from accessing sensitive and private information.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for generating secure symmetric encryption/decryption.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a secure method for transmitting sensitive and private information via the Internet.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a secure method for transmitting sensitive and private information in a cost efficient and timely manner via the Internet.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method for encrypting and decrypting information using unique keys in combination with the recipient""s PIN numbers.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method for encrypting and decrypting information using a unique key having a least 256 bits.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a method for encrypting and decrypting keys that are used to encrypt and decrypt the sensitive and private information.
These and other objects of the present invention are obtained by providing a method for generating secure symmetric encryption/decryption. The encryption process uses a unique key in combination with a recipient""s password for encrypting information that is to be transmitted to the recipient. The decryption process likewise uses the unique key, which is stored on the recipient""s computer device, in combination with the recipient""s password to decrypt the information. The unique key according to the present invention includes, preferably, at least 256 bits. In addition, the present invention encrypts both the document/message and a session salt key to provide greater security.